MISHRA, SHRI GARGI SHANKAR [Congress (I)— Madhya Pradesh, Seoni, 1984]  s. of Shri Ramakrishna Mishra; b. at Nagpur, January 1, 1919; studied upto B.Sc., (Prev.); m. Smt. Annapurna Mishra; 3 s. and 2 d.; Agriculturist; previously associated with Congress Socialist Party, Praja Socialist Party and Socialist Party; left studies to participate in the Freedom Struggle and actively participated in the ‘Do or Die’ Movement of 1942 launched by Mahatma Gandhi and was arrested; was active member and office-bearer of “Hindustani Lal Sena-the only militant organisation of the then C.P, and Benir, conducted the activities of the Organisation while remaining underground, 1942-44; a reward for arrest—dead or alive—was proclaimed by the then British Government in India, Union Minister of State for (i) Department of  Coal, January 15, 1982—September 2, 1982, (ii) Steel, Mines and Coal, 2-9 September, 1982, (iii) Energy, September 14, 1982—January 29, 1983, (iv) Petroleum in the Ministry of Energy January 29, 1982 to December 31, 1984; Secretary, Hind Kisan Panchayat, Founder Member, Bharat Sewak Samaj in the then Madhya Pradesh; Organised several Cooperative Societies of Adivasi Forest Labourers, brick manufacturers (Kumhars) in Madhya Pradesh (Mahakoshal and Vidarbha); Member, (i) Fourth Lok Sabha, 1967-70, (ii) Fifth Lok Sabha, 1971-77, (iii) Sixth Lok Sabha, 1977-79 and (iv) Seventh Lok Sabha 1980-84; Member, (i) Public Accounts Committee, (ii) Estimates Committee, (iii) Petitions Committee,  (iv) Railway Convention Committee, (v) Rules Committee,  (vi) Business Advisory Committee, (vii) Coal Advisory Committee; Member, Consultative Committee, Ministries of (i) Irrigation and Power, (ii) Petroleum and Chemicals, (iii) Advisory Consultative Committee to the Government of Tamil Nadu, (iv) Select Committee on Patents Bilk, (v) Parliamentary Committee on Official Language and (vi) Delimitation Commission; Chairman, House Committee, 1974-76; Was also Treasurer, Congress Party in Parliament; Member, Parliamentary Delegation to USSR, 1976; Member, Committee on Public Undertakings, 1985-86.

Social  activities:  Working for the betterment of down-trodden and  weaker sections of society; founded Village Uplift Society; which runs several High Schools, working girls hostels, Craft Centre for the weaker sections of the sociey; organised and organising every year several Medical & Eye Relief Camps in rural and Adivasi areas.

Favourite pastime and recreation:  Reading and Gardening.

Special interests:  Collecting books and manuscripts, contributing articles on political and economic matters and the concerning the weaker sections of the society.

Travels abroad:  U.S.S.R., V. K., U.S.A., Canada, Italy, Greece, Kenya, Sychelles and Mauritius.

Permanent address:  Giridhar Bhawan, Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, and (ii) Nayapura, Nagpur-2. Maharashtra.